He served 11 months, came back to party planning and a promotion door that allegedly shut
A Navy reservist says his employer benched him after active duty - then used his service as the reason to pass him over for promotion.
That is the core of a lawsuit filed June 29, 2026, in federal court in Maryland by Hugh Yeomans against Accenture Federal Services. The complaint alleges the company violated USERRA, the federal law that guarantees returning service members their jobs back as though they never left.
Yeomans, a Navy Reserve lieutenant, joined the firm in March 2022 when it acquired his former employer, Novetta. He worked as a program manager. According to the filing, he oversaw two programs, supervised about 12 people, and managed more than $4 million in annual project funds. One contract listed him as "key personnel."
In November 2022, active-duty orders called him away for roughly 11 months. He returned in November 2023, and the complaint says he gave proper notice in both directions.
What happened next is the heart of the case. On his return, Yeomans alleges, he was told he would not be put back on his old program. For five months, the filing says, he supervised no one and touched no client-facing work. Instead he was assigned to plan the holiday party, write a newsletter article, and lead a recruiting push. While he was away, the complaint claims, colleagues who had not deployed were promoted into roles he once held.
Then came the promotion issue. Yeomans alleges...
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